Professional Coin Grading Service is now grading modern Chinese coins on a year-round basis in mainland China.

PCGS opened submission centers in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou this past summer, and is expanding its initial part-time certification services to now accept, authenticate and grade modern coin submissions all-year-round with a turnaround time of three weeks.

PCGS also was the first to certify in China one of the first 200 of the new 2014 China silver Panda coins struck at the Shenzhen Guobao Mint on Oct. 11.

It was presented by mint officials as a gift to Muriel Eymery, PCGS Vice President of International Business Development, who was present at the striking ceremony. On Oct. 13 the coin was certified at the PCGS Shanghai Submission Center as First Strike, PCGS MS-69 Secure.

The designer of the 2014 silver Panda, Rocky Zhou, met Eymery and PCGS co-founder and Collectors Universe, Inc. President David Hall, while they were in Beijing.

The important expansion to year-round grading services in China underscores the increasing demand for PCGS-certified coins there, according to Don Willis, PCGS President.

“About 200 collectors signed up for the PCGS Chinese Set Registry during the recent Beijing International Coin Exposition,” said Willis.

“So, we are now grading modern Chinese coins dated after 1979 on a year-round basis, and will continue to provide on-site grading of vintage Chinese coins four-times-a-year.”

PCGS officials also have announced another important benefit for collectors and dealers.

“In recognition of the diverse variety of modern Chinese coins made for circulation, all such coins certified by PCGS will now include a reference designation on the holder insert label with the corresponding reference number in the Modern Chinese Circulating Coins Catalogue authored by well-respected numismatist, Mr. Sun Keqin,” explained Eymery.

Coins can be submitted at the PCGS Submission Centers in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai in person or by mail, or submitted through a network of more than 80 PCGS Authorized Dealers in mainland China (www.PCGS.com.cn/dealers).